


Creature Comforts

by nerdlife4eva



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Cat Cafés, Cats, Eventual Romance, First Meetings, Fluff and Humor, Gay Disaster Keith (Voltron), Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Just Add Kittens, Sam and Krolia set them up, Sheith Prompt Party 2018, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, love and kittens, pure fluff, they had no idea it would be so easy, this is fluff and humor and they help a cat deliver kittens while being smitten, what could be better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2019-10-20 16:53:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17626040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: Creature Comforts is a one of a kind business where customers can eat delicious food, cuddle precious cats, and get all of their prosthetic needs fulfilled.Mamora Supplies provides all the business could ever need to keep the CC customers functioning with the highest levels of tech.Although the matchmaking of the Creature Comforts owner and the Mamora delivery guy starts with the meddling of Sam and Krolia, it is Red (pregnant and in labor with her kittens) who becomes the ultimate wingman (or wingcat lol) for these two lovable disasters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My last prompt response for the [Sheith Prompt Party](https://sheithpromptparty.tumblr.com) on Tumblr :) This was in response to the "Cat Cafe AU" prompt. 
> 
> My other two prompts are:  
> [I found You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614625/chapters/41527277) a Rockstar AU  
> [Disaster You, Disaster Me, Disaster We](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16513202/chapters/38678120) a Blind Date with a Twist AU
> 
> If you like this work, please check out the links to my other links at the end! 
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr or Twitter too!  
> [NeRdLife4Eva Twitter](https://twitter.com/NeRdLife4Eva)  
> [n3rdlif343va Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/n3rdlif343va)

Standing on the sidewalk, Keith glanced down at the piece of paper in his hand and looked back up at the giant hanging sign. Painted cats crawled over the words, peeked out from behind letters and balanced precariously on the bordering edge. Raising an eyebrow at the cheeky store name, Keith read “Creature Comforts” out loud to the empty space around him. A cursory glance through the windows had Keith checking his address again, frowning at the location that looked more like a coffee shop than a clinic. Confused as to why his mother had insisted he personally attend to this particularly odd delivery, Keith shrugged before grabbing the handle of the door and pulling it open.

Soft music instantly filled his ears and he inhaled the soothing scents of lavender and jasmine hanging in the air. Mismatched chairs of different materials and tables of different heights were scattered around the room, looking inviting and comforting in their organized chaos. Everything was in muted colors, making Keith’s mind settle to an unfamiliar calmness.

He knew the tactics at play here, even before he shook the unwanted relaxation from his mind. The quiet instrumental music, the peaceful aroma and even the plushness of the offered seating were all therapeutic tools to increase comfort and decrease tension. Keith had studied all of these techniques during his time in grad school and had even come up with a comprehensive plan for his future practice. The practice he would already have if he could just-

“Hello there,” called an older gentleman from behind a counter, interrupting Keith’s rambling thoughts. “May I help you?”

Studying the kind face smiling in his direction, Keith carefully made his way through the customers already tucked away into their chosen spots. Assuming this was the owner Keith was supposed to speak to, he held his hand out over the counter, jumping when a black cat flopped over his forearm.

“Oh Blue,” the man said, smiling fondly as he tried to lift the cat off of Keith’s arm. “Sorry, ol’ Blue here loves attention.” Laughing when the cat wrapped his front paws around Keith’s wrist, the man shook his head. “I’m Sam by the way, this is Blue obviously. And that’s Yellow.” Pointing to the cat lumbering across the counter, Sam lifted his hand to stroke the back of the chubby cat.

“Um… hi…” Keith tried to dislodge the cat hooked around his arm, settling for lifting Blue to his chest instead. He couldn’t help his smile at the sound of the cat’s purring as he stroked the stubborn kitty’s head. “I’m Keith. I have your delivery from Mamora Supplies.” He glanced down as the cat named Yellow bumped against his elbow. “You just… let cats roam around in here?” Absently he continued to stroke Blue’s head, twisting so he could scratch behind Yellow’s ears with his right hand.

“Well, it is a cat café,” Sam chuckled. “Well, cat café and high tech prosthetic repair shop. Cuddle and comfort food therapy to patch up your soul while the technicians fix up your bionic parts. First place of its kind.” Proudly, Sam puffed out his chest and waved a hand toward the room around them.

Paying closer attention to the seated patrons, Keith noted the casually dressed technicians tinkering with prosthetic legs and making adjustments to wiring inside of robotic arms. One man had a cat with a green collar curled up on his lap while the woman across from him was sipping from a teacup. Even though their trauma scars were evident over their skin and by their missing limbs, both of them looked at completely ease.

“That’s… wow…” Keith couldn’t deny the cleverness of the idea and turned to make his opinion known to Sam, even as questions about cat hair, food, and complicated prosthetics tumbled around in his mind.

“Your mother said she would be sending you,” Sam commented, coming around the counter to pull a reluctant Blue from Keith’s arms. Shooing both him and Yellow away from the counter, Sam nodded toward the back. “You’ll want to drive around the alley and unload through the back door. Your mother’s company is the most reliable source of parts and supplies and we greatly appreciate her speed and organization.”

Keith nodded along with Sam’s chattering, letting himself be pushed in the direction of the front door. His mother and her partners prided themselves on precision and speed and a little piece of Keith felt extreme pride over the shop owner’s compliment. He pushed the front door open, finding himself back on the sidewalk in front of the delivery van and blinking rapidly at the afternoon sun.

“Turn left down that alley and I will have someone meet you at the door,” Sam instructed, stepping away from Keith’s side as he pointed to the side of the building. “It was nice meeting you, Keith. I hope to see you again.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Settling himself behind the wheel of the truck, Keith leaned out of the open window. “Great place by the way, really unique idea.” Turning the key in the ignition, Keith nodded at Sam as he eased the truck into the alleyway.

It was tight to maneuver the truck between the lines of brick buildings, but Keith held the steering wheel steady as he guided the wheels over the uneven pavement. He counted back doors as he drove, smiling when he spotted the doors with cats painted across them. The commitment of the establishment to their brand was pretty endearing and Keith couldn’t help his continued smirk as he shifted the truck into park between the lines of the parking spot labeled “delivery.”

Hopping down from the driver’s seat, Keith made his way up the metal ramp, rapping his knuckles swiftly against the door and rocking back on his heels to wait for an answer. A soft cry caught his attention making Keith debate between holding his current place and investigating the pained noise. When it sounded again, this time longer and with a higher pitched whine, Keith gave up on the doors in front of him and jogged down the ramp.

The sight of a black cat laid out on her side made his heart jump in his throat. Swinging over the railing, Keith landed softly, dropping to his knees and quietly whispering to the crying feline. “It’s alright, we’ll get you help,” he reassured, slowly offering his hand to let her sniff it. When she nuzzled into his knuckles, Keith felt his heart melt.

His delivery no longer mattered. Whoever finally answered the door could empty the truck themselves for all he cared. The sweet cat with the sharp yellow eyes had immediately stolen his heart and Keith wasn’t going to leave her until he knew she would be okay.

Ignoring everything else around him, Keith leaned down to continue his caresses over the cat’s head, praying that someone would hurry up and find them.

* * *

 

Standing behind the counter, Shiro raised an eyebrow at Sam’s happy hum watching the man pulling the phone from his pocket and move his thumbs across the screen with practiced ease. Crossing his arms over his chest, Shiro continued to stare him down waiting for Sam to acknowledge his presence.

“Oh! Shiro!” Sam laughed as he jumped, shoving his phone deep into his pocket. “I didn’t see you standing there. Delivery is here, mind helping unload the van? The delivery guy is new and won’t know where everything goes like Krolia and the others do.”

Narrowing his eyes, Shiro surveyed Sam as he ducked behind the counter. It wasn’t Sam’s cheerful attitude that had Shiro on high alert, but more Sam’s blatant avoidance of eye contact that had Shiro’s stomach churning. “Are you up to something?” he asked. He raised an eyebrow when Sam bumped his head on the edge of the counter.

“Of course not.” Sam rubbed the back of his head, examining the clipboard in his hand as if it held all of NASA’s greatest secrets. “Now, you better go, the truck should be around back by now.”

Shiro jokingly pointed as his own eye and then at Sam, making them both laugh. He turned on his heel to head for the back as a knock rang against the metal door.

“Oh and Shiro…” Sam called, not looking up from his clipboard. “The new delivery guy loves your place. Perhaps you should give him a proper tour before he leaves?”

Choosing to not respond to Sam’s suggestion, Shiro immediately had a hypothesis about Sam’s odd behavior. As the head of the technician team and Shiro’s highest investor, Shiro always appreciated Sam’s input in everything surrounding around the business. But as Shiro’s most prevalent father figure, Sam Holt’s desires to help Shiro find the right man were downright overwhelming. Sam, his wife, and their children were Shiro’s closest thing to family and that came with a certain level of love-based meddling. He appreciated it, even as he continued to dodge every one of their attempts to set him up with a suitable partner.

Sighing at the possibility of having to let another hopeful pursuer down, Shiro crossed the back room in several lengthy strides, lifting the lock on the heavy metal door and slowly easing it open. His eyes caught the sight of the signature purple and black truck, an eyebrow lifting when he noted the lack of a driver in the near vicinity. “Hello?” he called, wondering if he had perhaps imagined the knock.

Leaning back from the place where he was squatting, Keith shouted a brief “hey” before turning his attention back to the ball of fur laying at his knees. The cat’s belly was huge, causing her inky black fur to stretch along the swollen bulge. “It’s okay, baby,” Keith whispered, gently rubbing her head between her ears, talking softly to keep her calm.

Kicking the rubber stopper in place under the door, Shiro made his way down the ramp in pursuit of the gloved hand that had waved from behind the dumpster. He had expected another muscle-bound, stoically silent delivery man much like the others who had infrequently come in Krolia’s place. The hand that had flickered across Shiro’s vision had been slight and covered partially in a black glove, causing curiosity to peak in Shiro’s mind.

Taking the last step from the metal surface of the ramp, Shiro stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widening at the sight of Red sprawled out in front of the stranger. Covering the remaining distance, Shiro dropped to his knees and bent forward toward his most temperamental cat. “Red, girl, are you hurt?” Shiro cooed, hand coming down to cup her face and realizing too late that he had trapped the other man’s hand in his own. “Sorry, I… what happened?” Glancing up, Shiro felt his tongue tangle inside of his mouth, a product of the shock of seeing the concern and mild amusement over the beautiful stranger’s face.

“I didn’t knock her up, if that’s what you’re asking. Interspecies relations aren’t really my thing.” Keith tried to keep his voice steady, the heartbeat thudding loudly in his ears almost knocking him into incoherency. The man’s hand was warm where it was still wrapped around Keith’s fingers and he could feel the flush burning over his cheeks. He spared only a flitted gaze in the other man’s direction, feeling his heart flip unexpectedly in his chest at the loving distress painted across the man’s chiseled features.

“I… uh… I know she’s pregnant. I just didn’t know… if she was hurt or… something.” Unable to articulate his concerns any further, Shiro shrugged a shoulder, distinctly aware that he still had a grip on the man’s hand.

Steadying his own thoughts, Keith carefully pulled his hand away, jumping slightly when Red’s paw batted out to catch the edge of his glove. Letting her bury her face against his knuckles, Keith smiled warmly down at the sweet cat. “She meowed when I was knocking on your door and if I had to guess… I would say these kittens are coming soon.” Cautiously, he ran his fingers down the swell of Red’s belly, feeling the signs of the contractions squeezing the litter inside of her. “We should get her inside.”

“We… ?” Shiro stuttered, brain halting its production of his question when Red sank her sharpest teeth into his finger. Wincing, Shiro withdrew his hand and let her head gently rest on the ground.

“I’m invested now.” Using one hand, Keith reached over his shoulder and yanked his purple uniform shirt over his head. He gave a brief shudder as the cooling fall air hit the skin left exposed by his remaining tank top. Tucking the edges of the shirt around Red’s body, he spoke softly to her, begging her not to bite him as he settled her delicately in his arms. “Where to… um…”

“Shiro,” he supplied, gawking down at Red happily snuggled in the other man’s arms. “Um… and you are?” He tried to pet Red’s head again and received a snap of teeth for his attempted affections.

“Keith.” Pushing up from his squat, Keith extended his hand toward Shiro, noting Shiro’s hesitation and then registering the feeling of the cool metal hand slipping into his own. Gently, Keith shook Shiro’s hand, smiling in an attempt to soothe the worry from Shiro’s face.

He had known Shiro for approximately two minutes, and already Keith felt a strange desire to make him smile. Yanking his mind away from dangerous thoughts, Keith let go of Shiro and began to sway side to side the way Keith had seen his mother do with babies. With every shift of his hips, Keith continued to try to relax Red with calm words. “Is there a place where she can be safe?” he asked softly, still concentrating on his precious cargo and completely missing Shiro becoming a pile of smitten goo on the sidewalk.

On instinct, Shiro placed his hand at the small of Keith’s back, guiding him up the ramp. “Inside, we can find a place for her.” Desperately telling himself to ignore how much of Keith’s back was being covered by just one of his hands, Shiro continued to use his hold on Keith to guide him through the open door, kicking the stopper from underneath it to let the door slam behind them. “Sorry,” he muttered, shrugging sheepishly when both Keith and Red startled from the loud bang. “Um… through here I think…” Shiro maneuvered them through the storage room to the staircase at the very back and paused to fish the keys from his pocket.

Keith tried to hide his relief when Shiro finally took his hand away. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Shiro to touch him, on the contrary, Shiro’s lingering touch on Keith’s back had caused his mind to wander to other possible places Shiro could touch. The miniscule walk from the dumpster to the door Shiro was currently unlocking had almost been the undoing of Keith’s carefully cultivated resistance to romance.

“I think, up here… might be best. Away from the other cats and… people.” Shiro flicked on the light, illuminating the narrow staircase and stepping aside so Keith could walk up first. He regretted his decision immediately when he realized that having Keith several steps above him meant Keith’s flawless butt was directly in Shiro’s line of vision. Forcing himself to think about Red and her condition, Shiro trained his eyes on the stairs not allowing himself to sneak more than a handful of peeks at Keith’s powerful legs flexing underneath his tight jeans.

Standing at the top of the stairs, Keith peered around the open space. “Does someone… do you live here?” The room was the size of a large studio apartment, although the ceiling slanted on one side making it remarkably shorter than the other. Skylights let the sunlight pour into the room, making the space feel comfortably warm and bright. A bed, pristinely made with sharp corners stood against one wall and on the opposite side of the staircase was a leather couch and matching recliner, both facing an impressively large television. Keith appreciated the simplicity, admiring the lack of clutter as he stepped closer to the side with the television.

“Uh yeah,” Shiro shrugged, trying to casually survey his living area to make sure nothing was out of place. “I own the building and it seemed more convenient to covert the space and live here. The commute is fantastic.” Scooting close to the wall, Shiro tried to pass Keith, accidentally rubbing his chest across the entire line of Keith’s forearm. “You can… uh… bring her over here. I’ll get a box.” Wildly waving his hands Shiro hurriedly walked through the room bumping his hip on the edge of the couch and spinning around to announce that he was okay.

Unable to prevent his snort, Keith tucked his face closer to Red’s and tried to disguise it as a noise directed at her. “So, that guy Sam, he doesn’t own the coffee shop. Or treatment center. Or whatever you call it.”

Reappearing with a large box in hand, Shiro set it down in the far corner and motioned Keith over. “It’s a hybrid,” Shiro shrugged again, putting his hands on his hips and watching as Keith lowered Red into the box, seemingly prepared to sacrifice his shirt for the greater good of Red’s comfort. “And, um, no, Sam has invested a lot of money in it and him and his wife are in charge of the tech portion, but this concept… as bizarre as it may seem… and the walls that hold it, that’s mine.”

“Bizarre?” Keith questioned, “I think it’s great.” Glancing down at Shiro’s now socked feet, Keith noticed the small rack by the door where Shiro had disappeared to locate a box. Bending down, he untied the laces of his boots and pulled them from his feet. “I mean, I have some questions about the issue of cat hair, but otherwise, I think it is a solid business idea. I felt relaxed as soon as I walked in.” Dropping his shoes next to Shiro’s on the rack, Keith suddenly realized that he had basically invited himself into Shiro’s home. Shoving his hands deep in his pockets, Keith let his hair fall in front of his face. “If it’s not okay that I’m here, just let me know… I didn’t mean to… impose.” Embarrassment flooded his face as Keith stared down at his socks.

“Like you said,” Shiro took a step toward Keith and reached out to place a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “You’re invested.” His heart felt light in his chest when Keith smiled at him. “Although, I will warn you, it could take some time. I’m not keeping you from your deliveries am I?”

“No,” Keith scoffed. He liked the weight of Shiro’s hand on his shoulder and felt a twinge of loss when Shiro moved it away. “Mom only sent me here so unless you have a burning desire for the whopping six boxes sitting in my truck, I think I’m good.” Rocking back on his heels, Keith tried to evaluate the expression on Shiro’s face.

“It’s weird… I don’t even think I placed an order.” The thought left his mouth before he realized he was thinking out loud and Shiro snapped his eyes up to look at Keith. “I guess maybe Sam did.” His earlier contemplations about Sam being up to something snuck their way back to the front of his mind. “Did you say _mom_?”

“Yeah, Krolia… she’s my m-” Both of them turned toward Red’s box in the corner when she made a strangled noise and their shoulders knocked together as they rushed back to her side. Kneeling with their bodies pressed together in a nearly seamless line, they both leaned over to peer at her. “She needs water,” Keith gently ran his index finger over Red’s nose. “Maybe a little food too, if she’ll eat it.”

“Right, okay.” Standing, Shiro walked toward the staircase. “Anything else?” Mentally he tried to remember everything the vet had said about Red’s pregnancy, but his panicked mind brought up only blaring question marks. Taking a deep breath, he paused to look back at Keith, his attempts at breathing becoming useless at the adorable view of Keith leaning over to kiss Red’s head.

“Towels, I guess, although she can keep my shirt. A set of little, but sharp scissors in case we need to cut the membranes from any of the kittens.” Keith pulled through all the knowledge he had acquired during his summer of working at Coran’s veterinary clinic. “That’s it for now.” Leaning down again, he smiled when Red licked his chin. Every other cat he had seen in labor had been finicky around humans and preferring not to be touched, but Red seemed to be begging him for more contact. Laying on his side, Keith curled around the box and let his hand drape over the edge to scratch between her ears.

Convinced he was going to die from cuteness overdose, Shiro fled down the stairs and straight into Hunk’s side. “I need cat food, water, and towels!” he declared, holding Hunk’s arm unnecessarily tight.

With a cheeky smile, Hunk angled his head toward the stairs. “I hear you roped an attractive delivery boy into helping with Red’s delivery. Nice work getting your cat to wingman for you.”

“I- what – NO!” Shiro sputtered, hands releasing Hunk to flap uselessly at his sides. “He – Keith – Keith’s his name… well he was here delivering for Mamora and found Red outside. She was already in labor and for your information, he said he _wanted_ to be involved. I didn’t invite him until he offered. Wait- How did you even know?!” The sense of indignation deflated from Shiro’s chest when Hunk started to laugh.

“So he is cute then. Krolia said he was cute. And single by the way. I heard her talking to Sam the last time she was here.” Hunk raised his hands defensively at Shiro’s reactive glare. “Don’t shoot the messenger, buddy! Allura saw you three disappearing upstairs so I figured I’d hear from you sooner than later. I’ll get your supplies and I will even bring the two of you food, since you can’t even pretend that you cook with your lack of a kitchen. Be up in ten, so stay PG until at least after I leave, ok?” Dodging Shiro’s smack aimed at his shoulder, Hunk laughed his way back to the kitchen.

Torn between stomping back to the front to find Sam and potentially test the ability of his prosthetic to strangle a human and wanting to return to Keith as soon as possible, Shiro stood with one foot on the stairs and his body twisted in the other direction. Hushed whispers floated down to him and Shiro’s ears perked up as he strained to listen to the words being spoken.

“Mom, really,” Keith hissed into the phone, hearing his mom’s laughter through the speaker. “Did you really think that sending me here would encourage me to pursue my license? I mean the idea is great, but they don’t even do therapy here.” Stretching his back, Keith listened to his mother’s breathless laughter come to a screeching halt.

“Keith, my son, do you really think I sent you there because I want you to get… a job?” Krolia sounded exasperated making Keith furrow his brows. “Honestly, I don’t even know what to do with you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Frowning, Keith’s eyes moved toward the stairwell when he heard footsteps. “Anyway, I am going to be late getting back. This really sweet kitty named Red went into labor and she seems to really like me so I’m going to stick around. You don’t need me, right?” He smiled at Shiro when he reappeared, lifting his leg to wiggle his toes in greeting. Shiro’s instantly red cheeks left Keith baffled.

“No, definitely don’t need you, stay as long as you like, come back tomorrow if need be. See you later!” The click punctuated the end of Krolia’s rushed sentence and Keith rolled his eyes at his mom’s inability to make a phone conversation last more than five minutes.

“Everything okay?” Shiro asked, he grabbed a couple of throw pillows from the couch and tossed one in Keith’s direction. He forcibly ignored the way Keith’s hair looked fanned out over the purple cloth as he tucked the pillow between his head and his arm. Settling down with a pillow between his back and the wall, Shiro patiently waited for Keith’s answer.

“Yeah. Mom stuff. I’m pretty sure that she sent me here thinking I would be, I don’t know, inspired by your place.” Staring at Red’s belly instead of Shiro, Keith left the thought hanging without clarification.

“Inspired?” Shiro asked, turning his head at the sound of paws on his wood floors. Feeling the corner of his mouth tug upwards, he reached a hand out to stroke down Black’s back as he approached Red’s box.

“Her mate?” Keith asked, pulling away from Red’s box to allow the other cat to lick Red’s face and ears. He loved the way animals could be so caring for each other and happily watched the larger black cat lavish caring licks over Red’s face.

“Not in the… biblical sense,” Shiro grimaced at his own weirdness. “I adopted Red because she was in a high kill shelter and already pregnant. When I went to pick her up, Black was in the kennel next to hers and nursing some pretty horrible injuries. I refused to leave without both of them so here we are.”

He could easily recall the distressed faces of the shelter workers, caught between wanting to adopt out cats that no one else wanted and feeling morally obligated to try to talk Shiro out of it. The four hundred dollars Shiro had plunked down in cash had ended the argument with a flourish, and Shiro had left with his pregnant furbaby and his wounded furbaby. No one at Creature Comforts had called him crazy, even after Blue had tried to start a fight with Red during her first few seconds in the door. They were a family now, him and the five cats, and he proudly wore his crazy cat dad status like a badge of honor.

“Shiro?” Keith prompted, smiling when Shiro gave him a dazed look. “Sorry, I think I lost you there.” Shiro’s face had gone a little dreamy and Keith felt his heart give a weird tug at the expression. Confused by his own reaction, Keith looked back to Red.

“Ah… sorry, I was just thinking about when I got these guys.” Moving his hands to allow Black to curl up in his lap, Shiro smiled. Everyone said Black was Shiro in cat form and he couldn’t help but notice the way Black was eying up Keith. Waiting until Black looked up at him, Shiro smiled when Black winked.

“Did he just wink?” Keith asked, mouth slightly open as he stared at Black. “I have never seen a cat do that. And the one downstairs, Blue I think, he wrapped himself around my arm like a koala bear. Strange pack you have here, Shiro.”

The statement was fond and didn’t hold a hint of judgement, making Shiro’s smile grow wider. “They are my babies. Most of them love being in the shop, love the attention from all the customers. Red has always been a little standoffish, but I am hoping that changes once her kittens are born. She seems to like you though…” Shiro didn’t want to admit the way his heart was swooning over that fact.

Red truly hadn’t taken to anyone in particular, mildly tolerating Shiro and only biting him on a rare occasion. Her immediate attachment and desire for affection from Keith was out of character for her, leaving Shiro even more spellbound by Keith than he really wanted to acknowledge.

Another set of footsteps on the stairs made Keith sit up, tucking his legs underneath him. Once again he was reminded of how instantly comfortable he had become and it caused his back to straighten immediately.

“Hey all,” Hunk called, arms full of supplies. “I’ve got everything you wanted Shiro and some goodies to put in your fridge. Your microwave still works, right?”

Blushing hard, Shiro nodded, dislodging Black from his lap to stand and take the supplies for Red from Hunk’s arms. Passing them to Keith, Shiro threw a look over his shoulder when Hunk cleared his throat. “Oh, um, sorry, Hunk this is Keith, he found Red outside and she really, really likes him. And Keith… this is Hunk. He is our head chef for the café.”

“And best friend extraordinaire. Don’t forget that part,” Hunk bounced on his toes and dropped a small box of containers in Shiro’s hands. “Don’t know how long you guys will be up here or what Shiro’s fridge looks like, so I put together a bunch of meals. Sandwiches, soups, a couple of noodle dishes. Drinks, snacks and cookies too. If you run out, let me know, I’ll bring more. Keith, can you use a microwave?”

Busy grabbing containers from the box in Shiro’s arms and stuffing them into Shiro’s nearly empty fridge, Hunk missed Keith’s confused eyebrow raise. “Yes? Can’t everybody?” Glancing in Shiro’s direction, Keith became amused at the panicked look on Shiro’s face.

“Ha, you would think, but-”

Tossing the empty cardboard box on the ground, Shiro grabbed Hunk by the shoulders and shoved him toward the stairs, interrupting his sentence. “Yes, of course everyone can use a microwave. No one burns holes in walls or anything.” Slapping a hand to his own mouth, Shiro glared at Hunk as his friend began to laugh.

“I have so many questions,” Keith murmured, looking at Red like she would answer them. He giggled when she gave him a short meow.

“You two… let me know if you need anything.” Hunk nodded his head toward Keith and gave Shiro an excited thumbs up. “Nice meeting you Keith! Hope to see you around!” He laughed when Shiro shoved his shoulder again, rolling his eyes before disappearing down the stairs.

“All of your friends are really… friendly.” The comment was more of an observation made while Keith carefully filled Red’s water dish and placed it in her box. Scooting back to sit braced on the wall Keith propped his elbows on his bent knees. “This is a pretty rare place it seems.”

A nudge on Keith’s forearm had him lifting his elbow to spy Black’s face peering up at him. Giving the cat more space to move by lowering his legs, Keith let Black settle in his lap, gently running his fingers over the soft fur behind Black’s ears as his other hand remained dangled into the side of Red’s box.

“We like to think so.” Feeling his knees go a little weak at seeing another one of his babies so happily accepting Keith’s attention, Shiro sunk down the wall, his shoulder brushing over Keith’s bare one as he settled. A tiny dusting of pink appeared on Keith’s cheeks and Shiro’s hopes tingled at the possibilities that blush could mean. Telling himself to be brave, Shiro leaned into Keith’s side to tap Black playfully on his nose. “I’m glad… you don’t think it’s weird… and that Krolia thought it would inspire you. I still want to know-” Black nipped at Shiro’s finger making him laugh.

“Traitors, both of you!” Shiro scolded with a pout. “I never thought I would see the day that you two would betray me for a pretty face.” Freezing, Shiro’s hand hovered over Black’s head, distinctly aware that his body was still pressing firmly onto Keith’s side. “I mean… you know… because usually I’m their favorite… well Black for sure… Red just… you know bites me less and um… they both… you know… um… like you.” Pausing in his stuttering, Shiro winced when he felt Keith’s shoulders begin to shake.

For a man who looked like he could command the world with a look, Shiro was the most adorably awkward human Keith had ever met. And that was saying something considering how horribly awful he himself was at interacting with just about anyone. Letting his head fall back against the wall, he tried to bite his lip to curb his laughter, failing miserably when Shiro gave him a sheepish sideways look. “For the record, I think you’re pretty too.” He snorted on the last word, lifting a hand to pat Shiro on the cheek.

The move was a mistake. As soon as Keith’s fingers brushed the sharp line of Shiro’s jaw, he felt his brain go a little fuzzy. Up close, Shiro’s eyes were a mysterious swirl of brown and gray, but beyond that they held such open kindness that Keith could feel himself melting. Their easy and almost instantaneous comfort had already pried cracks in Keith’s meticulously built walls and the hopeful expression on Shiro’s face as he turned into the touch of Keith’s fingers was ready to deal the final blow. Keith ran his thumb over Shiro’s cheek while his heartbeat sped up in his chest.  

The pads of Keith’s fingertips were slightly calloused, his thumb sending tingles over Shiro’s skin when it stroked over his cheek. With a small sigh, Shiro angled his head to lean into Keith’s gentle touch. The contact was a mix of soothing and arousing, leaving Shiro fighting the flutter of his own eyelids. If only he had the courage to move a few inches.  

“Hey you two!” Footsteps on the stairs sounded in time with the shouted words causing Shiro and Keith to jump apart.

As Sam appeared at the top of the stairs, Shiro couldn’t help feeling like a teenager caught with a boy in his room. Forcing himself to not scoot away from Keith’s side, mentally reminding himself that he was indeed an adult, Shiro nervously wiped his palms on his thighs and smiled at Sam.

“Last appointment of the day just left, so if you don’t need me, I’m going to go ahead and lock up downstairs.” Tapping his fingers on the top of the stairwell, Sam smiled innocently at Shiro.

Narrowing his eyes, Shiro didn’t buy Sam’s innocence for even a second. “Where is everybody else?” Pidge and Allura had been working with customers before Shiro had disappeared with Keith - _correction_ came to take care of his pregnant cat- and they usually hung around after closing to help Hunk clean. Suspicion continued to creep up Shiro’s spine when Sam shrugged.

“Gone already. Hunk too. Although he wanted me to tell you there is more food in the fridge downstairs if you need anything else. But don’t touch his oven. He was very clear about that.” Sam still hadn’t stepped fully into the room, only his head and shoulders visible from where he had stopped his ascent. “Everything is handled, you enjoy- I mean – take care of Red. Hopefully we’ll have babies in the family by morning!” Eyes flicking towards Keith, Sam grinned. “You parked your truck in a great spot. Should be fine until morning as well.” He waved a hand when Keith went to speak. “Good night you two!” With a final wave, Sam disappeared down the stairs.

“Ha,” Keith huffed, shaking his head. Seeing Shiro’s quizzical look, Keith shrugged. “My mom does that too. Says a whole bunch of sentences too quick to really process and then just… disappears… or more like hangs up the phone. Usually it’s her tactic for preventing me from arguing with her.”

“Ah… yeah…” Trying to ease the awkwardness Shiro didn’t want to linger, Shiro clung to the common thread of weird parent things. “Sam has always done that. Not just to me, but to everyone he claims as his kids. I think he thinks if he talks fast enough he can run away before our brains catch up.” He chuckled, lowering his leg when Black moved from Keith’s lap back to Shiro’s to let the cat knead against his thigh. “Doesn’t work on his daughter, Pidge, she chases him.” Remembering the last time Sam had tried to win an argument over the schematics of a prosthetic foot with Pidge, his smile went a little soft.

Comfortable silence fell between them, neither of them having much to add at that point even though there was so much to learn. Falling into his own thoughts, Keith tried to reason with himself about why he wanted so desperately to kiss a near stranger. Perhaps it was because Shiro was so stunning that he was simply irresistible, but Keith believed it was deeper than that.

In the short list of people Keith had ever felt comfortable with, none of them had ever reached that point as quickly as Shiro had. Daring another look in Shiro’s direction, Keith’s heart squeezed when he realized Shiro had doubled over and was pecking kisses to Black’s tilted nose. Maybe Shiro was a crazy cat dad and maybe Keith was really ready to fall head over heels based on that fact alone.

Catching Keith staring, Shiro felt the blush rush to his face again. Sam’s odd behavior had left Shiro convinced that Keith’s arrival in his café was an intended set up. Despite his normal aversion to matchmaking, this time he was appreciative of Sam’s meddling. Holding Keith’s gaze a little too long, Shiro felt himself fidget, his free hand dropping into the small vacancy between their legs. “So… I guess it’s just you and me now, huh?”

Daring himself to be bold, Keith smiled at Shiro, reaching down to gently squeeze his hand. “I guess it is.”

With a pair of goofy smiles being shared between them, they settled in to wait for the appearance of Red’s babies.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kiss, the kittens, and the heartbreak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one more chapter in this story because I got a little carried away and had to separate Chapter 2 into two chapters. I will have the last chapter up on Friday! 
> 
> Sorry for the delay in posting these updates, I was down to one arm for a bit which made it extremely hard to type. 
> 
> I hope you will enjoy the rest of this very *fluffy* story :)

Hours had lapsed between Shiro’s discovery of Keith kneeling in the alleyway with Red and where they now sat, bodies within inches of each other, close enough to graze whenever they moved. Minutes spent slowly testing the waters between getting to know each other and getting too close too fast felt like seconds. Each moment held the gravity of fate, but the weightlessness of hope.

For every question Keith lobbed in his direction, Shiro had an open and thorough answer, a sign of his dedication to keep the conversation moving. Time had passed with an elusive ease, slipping from the brightness of the afternoon hours to the twilight of summer’s evening while Shiro and Keith gradually let the world quiet to only their shared existence.

Times when conversation found itself in a lull were few, and mostly caused by Shiro’s inability to stop observing Keith, rendering him unable to speak with each new observation. There was beauty in everything Keith did, from the way he idly stroked Red’s head in soothing caresses to the way he continually ran his fingers through the hair escaping his ponytail. Keith’s presence was soothing while his quick wit and open mind were constantly stimulating. He was quiet in a way that calmed the tension Shiro constantly carried and smart in a way that sparked Shiro’s mind into action. Yet, Keith was humble, only offering the most astounding pieces of information about himself when prodded for them.

When Keith shyly revealed the number of advanced degrees he had earned in his few short years of study, Shiro nearly vibrated with excitement. Keith had opinions, both educated and passionate, about caring for other’s that sung directly to the deepest parts of Shiro’s heart. His mind had clung to this knowledge, pushing them into a zealous discussion about the military and the lack of mental health support it provided its veterans.

Watching Shiro wave his hands in the air in his frustration with what he deemed the ‘irresponsibility of their military,’ Keith felt mesmerized by Shiro’s conviction. He had spent his life being berated for his own convictions, spending wasteful hours trying to convince his uncles of the same points Shiro was making. They were kindred in these thoughts, both acknowledging the need to do better and sharing the desire to be the ones to do it.

Through every exchanged sentence, even those said in agreed frustration, Keith felt a growing fondness breaching every part of his heart. Shiro was obviously intelligent, but not in a way that was showy or boisterous, and yet he was also kind and passionate in a way that made Keith feel dizzy. He was devoted to his beliefs and that devotion made Keith feel on the edge of breathless.

Their shared opinions prompted Shiro’s excitable explanation of his own business development. Keith leaned his chin in his hand, elbow propped on his knee as he listened to Shiro detail every goal he had for himself and the business he had built from the ground up. The entire concept of Shiro’s cat café had been built with the desire to provide comfort, both in physical repairs and healing of souls. Keith listened raptly, nodding along with Shiro’s thoughts, the feeling of finding a kindred spirit deepening with every word.

In a way other’s seemed to fail to acknowledge, Shiro had considered every part of the healing process, not ignoring the importance of emotional and mental wounds in favor of only repairing the physical ones. There was a key component missing in Shiro’s café though, and Keith could tell that Shiro was dancing around an idea that neither of them were brave enough to propose. Letting the proposition stall on his own tongue, Keith remained hopeful that maybe Shiro was braver enough to voice the suggestion Keith longed to hear.

Shiro’s mind was itching to ask Keith to be the final piece of his plan, spurred on by Keith’s offhanded comments about his mother wanting him to find inspiration to finally follow through with his own dreams. Some of the thoughts were selfish, plots to both help Keith _and_ keep Keith in Shiro’s orbit. They hadn’t even spent an entire day together and yet Shiro couldn’t imagine returning to a life where Keith’s soft smile and determined way of speaking weren’t a part of his every day.

Truthfully, it _had always been_ Shiro’s goal to hold group counseling sessions in the café, but he had never found anyone that fit. Feeling his walls crumbling after only a few hours with Keith, Shiro had no doubt that this was the person he needed. Not knowing, however, if he was considering what was best for Keith or what was best for himself, Shiro kept his hypothetical proposals of new business ventures to himself.

But it was impossible to ignore how easy it was to talk with Keith. Throughout every thought and every topic of conversation, Shiro continued to wonder how the universe had withheld such a perfect human from him for so long. Essentially they were strangers, but they didn’t feel that way, even when their flirting left them both a little lost for words. _Why isn’t it awkward?_ Shiro had asked himself repeatedly. _How can it be so easy?_

No matter what doubts Shiro tried to have about the situation, his mind wouldn’t cooperate. Every time Keith would knock into Shiro’s side as he leaned over to check on Red, with each brush of Keith’s hand as he spoke with gestured emphasis, Shiro could feel his heart bracing to jump. His brain had imagined a thousand scenarios, all of which involved Keith working in his café every day and sharing his bed every night. If only he was brave enough to ask if Keith could possibly want those things too.

Lost for the hundredth time to his own thoughts, Shiro jumped when Keith nudged his side with a gentle elbow. Keith’s smile grew wider when Shiro blushed.

Scrambling for a topic to cover his own silence, Shiro glanced around the room, eyes landing on his fridge. “Um, do you think we have time to eat something? I mean, before the kittens come?” Even with his historically strong stomach, Shiro was positive that eating once Red started giving birth was not a feat even he was capable of. His eyes stayed on Keith as Keith twisted to lean toward Red again.

Humming in thought, Keith angled himself toward Red’s box, whispering to her as he stroked his fingers over her belly. While he was cherishing the time with Shiro gifted to him by Red’s impending litter, there was a growing concern in the back of his mind over how long Red had been laboring without any signs of advancement in the process. That concern flared when she whined as she tipped sad eyes in his direction, making Keith crouch closer.

“You’re doing so good. Do you want some water?” Completely forgetting Shiro’s question, Keith lifted the water bowl into the box to allow Red to drink. The low grumble of his own empty stomach and Red’s judgmental stare at the offending noise made him laugh.

Looking over his shoulder to smile at Shiro, Keith tried not to let his mind overanalyze the adoring smile painting Shiro’s own face. That smile had easily taken the top spot of Keith’s favorite visual images and he refused to let himself acknowledge exactly what that meant for his own pitiful fall into dangerous territory.

Flipping his hair out of his eyes, Keith tried to regain his thoughts. “Sorry, got distracted.” Carefully tipping Red’s water bowl to give her better access, he felt his cheeks blush when the cat looked at him again. He swore she could see straight into his soul and was internally grateful that she couldn’t speak all the observations she was clearly making. Telling himself to get a grip, Keith laid the bowl in Red’s box and sat back on his heels.

Deciding the only way to combat his own obsessive butterflies was to taunt Shiro, Keith smirked. “I think we can sneak something in. Need me to microwave it?” The teasing made Shiro’s cheeks flush pink and Keith decided there was nothing more beautiful than this blushing man.

“Um, how about sandwiches? I can read off the choices.” Stretching from his spot on the floor, Shiro crossed the room to his fridge, telling himself to stop letting Keith’s simple jabs make him feel so flustered. “And for the record, I’m not _that bad_ with a microwave.” It was an outright lie, but no one was there to correct him so he said it without hesitating. Really, it wasn’t his fault that he had always been spoiled by having other people to cook for him. He intended to learn, some day.

Flinging open the fridge door, Shiro lifted the plastic boxes. Hunk’s careful handwriting was printed in sharpie on the top of each container identifying the makings of each magnificent sandwich. Only Hunk could make a cold sandwich into a religious experience and sharing this thought out loud made Keith laugh. “Want me to read every one?” Shiro asked, peeking over the top of the fridge door. He saw Keith shake his head and waited for further clarification.

“I’m good with anything. I’m not picky at all.” Surviving on military grade food through most of his life had steeled Keith’s stomach against almost anything that could be offered. “My uncles made actual gruel for breakfast this morning, so really it could be piece of low-grade lunch meat shoved between mildly stale bread and it would still be an upgrade.” Keith grinned when Shiro laughed, allowing himself only the slightest bit of pride over being the cause of that glorious sound.

Grabbing four containers and a couple of waters, Shiro closed the door with his heel. “I’m bringing a variety. Hunk would take personal offense to anyone thinking a sandwich was just meat shoved into bread and would make you do exactly what I’m about to.” Nodding towards his couch, Shiro plunked himself down and tried not to preen too much when Keith immediately took a seat facing him, Keith’s knee brushing against the bend of Shiro’s own. Handing off a water bottle to Keith’s extended hand, Shiro carefully opened each sandwich container to reveal four distinctly different options.

“Wow…” was all Keith could muster, his senses overwhelmed with the heavenly aromas that had erupted in Shiro’s small home. His stomach rumbled to life again, craving the consumption of every morsel of food in front of him.

Feeling elated at Keith’s obvious excitement, Shiro waved his hand over the options. “Now you can try four! But beware, Hunk will text me at some point and ask what your favorite was, so chew carefully.” Pausing only to enjoy the sound of Keith’s chuckle, Shiro reached into the box closest to their touching knees.

Sharing the same thought about which sandwich to try first, Keith found his fingers accidentally wrapped around Shiro’s hand instead of the sandwich half he had been aiming for. Despite his earlier confidence when he had boldly squeezed Shiro’s hand for a few seconds, Keith felt the immediate rush of embarrassment flow through him. “Um… you first… go ahead… I will… this one.” Switching choices, Keith grabbed a different sandwich half, lifting it and shoving most of it in his mouth.

The moan that escaped him was unexpected, but Keith couldn’t hold it in. Whatever he had just chomped into had to be the single best food item he had ever consumed. Peering over the edge of his sandwich, he felt slightly embarrassed with the way Shiro was staring at him, yet he couldn’t stop himself from taking another outrageously huge bite. “Ish s’osh ood…” Keith tried to say around his mouthful, the fresh bread sticking to the roof of his mouth and making it impossible for him to speak clearly. Smirking when Shiro laughed, Keith tried to slow down his monster-like consumption of the sandwich in his hand.

“Hunk would love every second of seeing you so happy.” Settling deeper into the couch, Shiro was relieved that the tiny hint of weirdness had dissipated as quickly as it had come. Biting into his own sandwich, Shiro managed to hold in his own pleased humming, ears keenly aware of the happy noises Keith was still making. His treacherous brain wanted to know what other situations would cause Keith to make such noises and he found himself adjusting subtly in his seat as the thought refused to go away.

Polishing off his first sandwich, Keith didn’t hesitate to reach for the next one. “Now I know why you don’t cook.” Plucking the sandwich from the box, Keith examined it only for a second before biting off a good third of it. Sighing into the rich taste of roast beef, onions and the best horseradish he had ever tasted, Keith leaned back on the armrest of the couch. “I would cut off a limb to get out of cooking if it meant someone else would create food like this for me.”

Eyes going wide, Keith froze with his hand an inch from his lips. Wincing, he glanced at Shiro’s prosthetic arm and wanted to slap himself.  “I…”

Casually, Shiro licked the mustard from his thumb. “Everyone thinks I lost my arm in combat. But really, I knew the only way to guarantee Hunk’s sympathy pasta was to sacrifice a pound of flesh. Totally worth it.” With a wicked grin, Shiro stole the sandwich directly from Keith’s fingertips and popped it in his own mouth.

Startled, Keith barked out a laugh, reaching forward to punch Shiro lightly on the arm. “God, I love your sense of humor.” Shaking his head, Keith muttered “pound of flesh” under his breath as he rescued a delicious smelling pita bread stuffed with chicken from its plastic prison.

No one, in the history of Shiro’s short life, had ever said they loved his sense of humor. Sure, he had been fondly called a dork and teasingly told off many times for his terrible dad jokes, but never had anyone sounded so bluntly genuine in their enjoyment of his sarcasm. Feeling a small thrill of giddiness ripple under his skin, Shiro opened his mouth to quip at Keith again.

A whine, low and filled with pain interrupted Shiro’s intended humor, pulling both his and Keith’s attention back toward Red. Before Shiro could move, Keith was on the ground, forehead pressed to Red’s and mumbling quiet reassurances to the cat.

Slowing his own breathing, Keith stroked Red behind her ear, noting her higher temperature and quickening breaths. “Babies are coming,” Keith whispered, meaning to be loud enough for Shiro to hear him, but unable to raise his voice any higher than it was. Anxiety over Red’s safety had been building inside of him throughout the afternoon and now that the moment was here, Keith struggled to keep himself calm.

Uncurling his bent leg, Shiro carefully closed each sandwich box, eyes trained on Keith’s curved back and ears focused on the sounds that Red was making. Trusting Keith to look over her, Shiro moved back to the fridge to store the rest of their shared meal. There was disappointment swimming among the excitement he felt, giving Shiro an oddly off-kilter feeling as he dropped down next to Keith.

A mewl, loud and low, made both Shiro and Keith startle. Sitting back to give Red space, Keith unconsciously reached for Shiro’s hand, threading their fingers together as he focused on the tensing of Red’s belly and the first appearance of a tiny new life.

Almost missing Red’s first baby because he couldn’t peel his eyes away from Keith’s fingers tangled between his own, Shiro’s head shot up when Keith squeezed him. Following the nod of Keith’s head, Shiro felt tears instantly welling in his eyes as the first kitten came plopping into the world as a gross mess of fluid and matted hair.

Carefully, Keith nudged the new baby toward Red’s head, giving her better access to clean her newborn. Intellectually, he knew that animals gave unassisted birth all of the time but he couldn’t stop himself from trying to make it easier for her. Even though it had only been a few hours and she wasn’t his to love, Keith knew he would never get his heart back from the scrappy looking black cat.

“It’s so little,” Shiro cooed, lifting his free hand to wipe at his tears. Watching Red methodically clean the mix of placenta and blood from the kitten’s face, he felt his heart growing weaker by the second. He was not prepared for Red to abruptly stop, interrupted by another whine and the appearance of another kitten. “Two, there are two, Keith!” His awed whisper made Keith hum as he reached down to mimic Keith’s gentle movements and move the second kitten into Red’s reach.

Part of Keith wanted to make a comment about the size of normal cat litters, but he couldn’t find the words to banter with Shiro. His hand felt warm and safe in the company of Shiro’s bigger one, and his chest felt constricted with the adorable way Shiro was cooing and crying over the newest addition to Red’s litter. Plus, the sight of the tiny kitten barely filling Shiro’s palm had created some very ill-timed and highly inappropriate images in Keith’s brain.

Steadying himself, Keith raised two fingers into Red’s sight, giving her a silent warning that he planned to touch her belly. Waiting for her look of understanding, Keith slowly traced the lines of Red’s stomach trying to count the number of potential babies. “I think there are still three, maybe four. I can’t quite tell.” Furrowing his eyebrows, Keith pulled back when Red began to pant again. A third baby made its way into the world and Keith smiled as Shiro immediately shifted its tiny body into the lessening space by Red’s head.

Wiping his hand on his jeans, Shiro winced at the messy streak. Keith’s own pants had similar stains and Shiro made a mental note to offer to wash both of their clothes before Keith went home. Unless Keith wanted to stay, which would also be completely fine with Shiro. Biting his lip, Shiro dragged his mind back from that track of thought and tried to redirect it to the subject at hand.

“How do you know what to do?” he asked, shifting to get off of his knees and awkwardly refusing to let go of Keith’s hand as he did so. Not overthinking the action, Shiro pulled Keith’s hand further into his lap and began to play with Keith’s fingers with his free hand. “I mean, the vet gave me a list of things to do, but I’m not sure I can remember more than two… and the box and towels are already here so…”

Staring down at his hand in Shiro’s lap, Keith tried to breathe through the tingles chasing up his arm. “I interned with a vet one summer and I volunteer with a rescue now. I love animals and had considered training therapy animals. Not just dogs too, but cats, and birds, maybe hamsters. I don’t know. It was just a thought.” A thought that had led Keith to rescuing over a hundred wounded animals and helping Dr. Coran deliver more than twenty rescue litters. That wasn’t information Shiro absolutely needed though, so Keith kept those details to himself.

The appearance of a fourth kitten derailed their discussion for a moment, both of them falling silent so that they could listen to the tiny noises coming from the wiggly little balls of wet fur clambering toward their mother’s warmth.

“I can’t believe all these kittens were in there.” Amazed at his own cat’s incredibleness, Shiro bent toward Red. “You’re wonderful, Red. Look at your babies…” Raising a cautious hand, Shiro choked up when Red let him gently pet the soft spots behind her ears. “See you do love me.” Emotions swam in his words and Shiro found himself swallowing hard around the lump in his throat.

“Congratulations, cat dad.” Tilting his head, Keith waited until Shiro looked at him to smile. The tears staining Shiro’s cheeks were so precious that Keith let himself indulge in the need to swipe at them with his thumb.

Feeling the callouses of Keith’s fingertips brush over his cheek made Shiro shiver, his hand withdrawing from Red’s head to find a place on Keith’s knee. “Thanks for staying with us.” Shiro shifted his angle, trapping Keith’s hand between his cheek and his shoulder with a smile. “I couldn’t have done this without you.” He kept his eyes firmly locked on Keith’s as he tugged lightly on Keith’s hand to bring him closer.

Kissing Shiro had been a thought in the back of Keith’s mind since Shiro’s fingers had first touched his hand in the alley behind the café. He hadn’t imagined it happening while Red’s fifth kitten was arriving in the world, with streaks of red afterbirth staining their clothes and Shiro’s cheeks wet with shed tears, but Keith wasn’t about to let the moment slip through his fingers. Leaning down, he tilted Shiro’s chin upward and slid into Shiro’s space with a smile on his lips.

When Shiro was younger he and Matt used to sneak Colleen’s trashy novels from the bookcase in Matt’s parents’ rooms and read through the most graphic descriptions with all the maturity twelve year old boys lacked. Those novels always described kissing as if it were some magical event, celebrated with fireworks in hearts and flames igniting burning loins. Kissing had never felt anything like that, until Shiro found himself kissing Keith and his world spinning off its axis.

There was no hesitation between them, hands unlocking to find purchase on each other’s shoulders and sides. Instinctually, Shiro reached for the back of Keith’s neck, curling his fingers into the dark hair there and pulling Keith as close as their positions could manage. His mind was void of any thoughts beyond exuberant chants of Keith’s name, his body reacting in ways that would make all the heroines in Colleen’s books jealous.

Breathing became a thought only when Keith became unsure if he was dizzy from the feeling of Shiro’s lips or because of his distinct lack of oxygen. Pulling back to hazily smile at Shiro’s own dopey smile, Keith kept his hand gently cupping Shiro’s cheek to ensure that the last few minutes were real. Truthfully, Keith needed reassurance that the entire day had been real and not some sunbaked fever dream he had cooked up while napping in the delivery truck.

Before either of them could address the kiss that had seemingly cemented their shared desires, Red was arching in her box, making a noise that sounded both pained and terrified. Nearly head-butting in their rush to move their attention to her, both Keith and Shiro worriedly asked the cat what was wrong.

Five babies were dislodged from nursing when Red shifted her position again, her stomach tensing and releasing in more rapid succession than it had for the other kittens. With a meow that veered toward a growl, Red barred her fangs, relaxing only when a kitten, much smaller than its brothers and sisters barely forced its way out.

Concerned, Keith reached for the last kitten, noting that the sack around it hadn’t torn or given the baby any path towards escape. Blindly groping for the scissors, Keith carefully cut the membrane while Shiro hissed his concern from over Keith’s shoulder.

The tiny kitten didn’t show any of the signs of eager life that the rest of its littermates had. Pressing a gentle finger to its tummy, Keith verified out loud to Shiro that the kitten was male while watching it slow begin to breathe. Cautiously, Keith lowered the baby towards Red, his heart sinking when she showed only mild interest in cleaning it.

“Why…” Shiro wanted to know what was going on. His eyes couldn’t stop flicking between the blood beneath Red and the slowed movements of the last kitten. None of his thoughts were good and he found himself clenching his jaw to hold back the questions which would inevitably bring him sadder tears.

Red dutifully cleaned her smallest baby, her movements lacking the same determination she had possessed with the other five. Nudging him toward the rest of the litter, she let her head drop to the edge of the box, breath still labored while the kittens nursed.

The sixth kitten moved slowly, easily bullied away from his mother’s belly by his stronger brothers and sisters. Using a finger to nudge the fattest kitten away, Keith guided the tiny baby forward to encourage him to nurse. A pit opened in the bottom of his stomach as he watched the kitten struggle, refusing to look in Shiro’s direction as he stood.

“I’m going to call someone, ok?” Keith was already pulling his phone from his pocket, making his way toward Shiro’s staircase. His emotions were too invested in every part of this situation to think clearly and he knew that calling for help was the right move. His past self would have scoffed at the idea, but if Keith had learned anything in his time with Coran and the rescue, it was that pride was nothing compared to the safety of an animal.

Seeing the nod of Shiro’s head, Keith jogged down the stairs, thumb already pressing the green button to call Coran. Making sure he was away from the staircase door and out of Shiro’s earshot, Keith waited to hear Coran’s naturally cheerful greeting before exhaling into a rushed explanation of the circumstances happening upstairs.

Alone with his new babies and his darling Red, Shiro felt an unprecedented sense of dread that was unfair when seen in juxtaposition to the rest of his day. Laying a soft hand on the box and smiling sadly when Red willingly shifted to rest on his palm, Shiro tried to tell himself that everything was going to be okay.

* * *

 

Pacing at the front of the Shiro’s café, Keith couldn’t calm the tornado raging through his mind. In his youth, he had been known for rash decisions and what his teachers had deemed ‘an explosive temper.’ Controlling his thoughts and his impulses to react instead of think had been nearly impossible, until he had determinedly set out to do so, through study and discipline in equal parts.

Unfortunately none of the methods he had learned were useful now, when his mind was a dizzying storm of happiness over the astoundingly breathtaking kiss he had shared with Shiro and the earth-shattering dread he felt for Red. Those two emotions didn’t belong in the same moment, although it didn’t surprise Keith that they had. His life had been filled with nothing but the conflicting emotions of good tainted with bad so it really shouldn’t have been as jarring as it was.

A tap against the glass of Shiro’s front door had Keith’s head snapping up, his eyes landing on Coran’s face peering quizzically over the etched writing on the door. Three quick strides brought Keith the needed distance to flip the locks and let Red’s hopeful savior into the quiet of the closed café.

Calling Coran was both Keith’s best idea and worst idea, all rolled into one. The man was the smartest veterinarian Keith had ever known, with knowledge of species Keith wasn’t positive were even native to their _planet_.  If there was an animal in existence, Coran knew every detail of its diet, sensitivities and unique characteristics. He was warm and welcoming, willing to help any animal and any animal owner who crossed his path, without ever making anyone feel naïve or uneducated. He was rare and wonderful, but Coran was also a lot to handle on a normal day, when surrounded by a full vet staff and the vast size of his clinic.

Walking into Shiro’s tiny café, Coran was a volume-force to be reckoned with. As was his current choice of Hawaiian shirt. But Coran had responded to Keith’s request immediately, arriving with supplies and tools in hand only few minutes into Keith’s spiraling existential crisis.

If he hadn’t been so worried for Red and her tiniest baby, Keith would have made a joke about teleporting. As it was though, Keith could only pick at his fingernails and brief Coran on a few more details as he crossed through the café and pointed up the stairs to Shiro’s loft. Following Coran up the stairs, Keith paused at the sound of Shiro’s voice.

“Dr. Coran!” Dislodging Black from the spot he had found in Shiro’s lap, Shiro wiped his hands on his pants, holding one out for Dr. Coran to shake. His mind was disoriented, a jumbled mess of elation over the kiss and overwhelming worry about Red, leaving his thoughts to bang uselessly around in his head while he tried to process the new person standing in his home. “Wait… what are you-Kei-Keith… is this who you called?” Confused, Shiro glanced between the twitch of Dr. Coran’s impressive mustache and the motion of Keith running a hand through his hair.

Smiling brightly, Coran grasped Shiro’s hand with both of his. “Ah Shiro, I didn’t know you knew Keith. But now that I think about it, you two would make a lovely pair.” Winking over his shoulder, Coran returned his pleased smile in Shiro’s blushing direction.

“We aren’t… I mean… not… yet… umm… Red!” Knowing that his lack of coherency was the reason for Coran’s laughter, Shiro ran his hand over his face, sheepishly smiling at Keith over Coran’s shoulder. His heart did a little jig at the smile he discovered on Keith’s face, hoping that meant Keith was also open to possibility.

Immediately, Shiro reprimanded himself for ignoring the situation at hand. Waving a hand towards Red, Shiro felt his stomach sink when Coran made a concerned noise. “There is… a lot of blood,” Shiro could barely get the words out, his eyes never quite looking directly at the mess in the box. “And um… this little guy…” Squatting, Shiro gently scooped the tiniest kitten into his hand. “I don’t…” There were a lot of things Shiro didn’t know, but saying them out loud was too painful to accomplish.

Determined to stay out of the way, Keith shoved his hands in his pockets. His desire to reach out to Shiro, to hug him until the worried lines faded from Shiro’s face, was making Keith’s heart ache painfully. Silently, he prayed that all of his worst fears about the situation were merely an overreaction, an inability for his brain to think rationally in the midst of so many emotions.

Red hissed as Coran neared her causing him to slow his movements. “Hello, pretty mama,” Coran cooed, his voice softer than Keith had ever recalled hearing it. Even in their joint deliveries, Coran was still his typical boundless source of energy. Hearing him quiet made all of Keith’s worries swell painfully in his gut.

Carefully, Coran examined Red, talking to her about everything he was doing. Shiro felt hypnotized by the sound of Coran’s voice, a part of his brain confused by the shedding of Coran’s normally exuberant persona. Kneeling, Shiro continued to cradle Red’s kitten, curling the tiny body into his chest to provide as much warmth as possible.

“Mom is doing fine,” Coran reassured them both, taking a chance at rubbing Red’s head and chuckling when she meagerly bit him for the affection. “The blood is normal, but looks alarmingly in comparison to her tiny size. She needs to eat when she is ready and she’ll need to rest, but sooner than later, I would suggest a clean space and some added warmth for these babies. Do you have a space heater, Shiro?”

Nodding Shiro pointed his elbow in the direction of his closet. “On the floor in there, I can get it.” Glancing down at the baby nestled on his chest, Shiro looked to Keith for help. “Can you…?”

Crossing the room before Shiro could finish his sentence, Keith reached out to cup his hands around the kitten. The back of his knuckles brushed over the muscles of Shiro’s chest, nearly derailing Keith’s mindfulness when he realized again just how solid Shiro was. Telling himself to stay focused on the kitten’s needs, Keith kept his eyes averted from Shiro’s as he turned toward Coran.

Silent questions and answers flashed between them, Coran’s brows knitting together over his nose as he carefully removed the kitten from Keith’s resistant hold. Keith had called Coran out of an abundance of respect and trust in the man, but letting go of the tiny baby was still hard. The irrational part of Keith’s brain told him if he could just cradle the kitten a little longer, it would somehow make the baby alright. He bit his bottom lip to keep it from quivering, eyes focused on the side of Coran’s face as he began to examine the tiniest being to ever steal Keith’s heart.

In the darkness of his storage closet, Shiro took a shaky breath, shoulders sinking as tears caught on his eyelashes. Blindly he groped for the space heater, his other hand moving in the opposite direction to locate another empty box. His mind continued to replay the last image it captured, Keith’s worried frown and Coran’s concentrated stare, both of them looking deep in a telepathic conversation that Shiro wasn’t a part of. It reminded Shiro of the way his grandfather and his doctor had looked, standing over his hospital bed on the day Shiro was told they couldn’t save his arm.

Shaking his head, Shiro took another deep breath before he stepped from the closet, the empty box and small space heater dangling from separate hands. In a way he hadn’t trusted his doctor to tell him the whole truth, Shiro trusted that Keith would. There wasn’t a real foundation for that trust, and yet Shiro let it reassure him anyway. His chest ached with worry, but he willed himself to remain calm as he carefully made his way back to Keith’s side.

Gently taking the kitten back from Coran, Keith’s head spun with the realities of the next twenty four hours of the kitten’s life. His fate wasn’t sealed yet, although the battle to survive wouldn’t be one that the small baby could fight on his own. Forcing the lump in his throat down, Keith held the baby close to his heart while he prepared himself for Shiro’s reaction.

“Could we set those up over here?” Coran spoke from the corner he had moved to, eyes bouncing from the light of the window and the angle of the slanted ceiling. His bent posture was almost comical and in a different situation, Shiro was positive he would have found himself laughing.

Instead, he dragged his feet over the floor, handing over the space heater and box to Coran without a word. Remaining silent, he retrieved the remaining towels that hadn’t been used and passed them to Coran as well. The need to know what was going on clawed at Shiro’s stomach like an anxious beast and his frustration only grew with the lingering silence. Clenching his jaw, he prepared to demand answers when Keith materialized in front of him.

“I’m not going to sugar coat it.” Keith knew Shiro deserved direct and clear information, not the water-downed version that some pet owners would have demanded. Narrowing his eyes at the raise of Coran’s eyebrows, Keith shook his head slightly before continuing. “This little guy… he is under developed.” Using a gentle thumb, Keith opened the kitten’s mouth, heart aching when there was almost no resistance. “Because of that, he is struggling to latch on Red’s nipples. Nursing is imperative and he…” pausing to control the hitch in his words, Keith willed himself not to cry. “He might not be able to.”

Despair, cold and empty, opened in Shiro’s stomach as he reached forward to cover Keith’s hand with his own, blanketing the kitten with their shared warmth. Shiro was never the type to give up and he felt a blaze of that indignation flash in his heart. “Can I help him?” Lifting his eyes, he saw the same spark of determination glimmering in Keith’s own beautiful eyes.

“I can’t guarantee it.” Coran moved to stand next to them, one hand moving to hold Shiro’s shoulder, while the other waved toward his own supply bag. “But, if you want to try, I won’t stop you. I’ll even provide what you need.”

The next fifteen minutes were spent listening intently to Coran’s instructions as they carefully transferred Red into her new clean resting spot. Shiro desperately tried to remember every single word Coran said while also trying to reassure Red. More than once he glanced in Keith’s direction, searching for the reassuring nod that Keith always granted him.

Syringe-feeding was a foreign concept to Shiro, although it reassured him that Keith didn’t seem as confused by the idea. He also had no idea that formula existed for animal babies and he curiously took the canister offered by Coran to turn it slowly in his hands. The idea of what he needed to do sounded simple in the most complicated way and Shiro could feel himself becoming overwhelmed.

“I’ll stay,” Keith offered. He was still standing where Shiro had left him, body swaying slightly from side to side as if he was rocking a human infant and not a tiny kitten. Words had failed him when Coran had begun his instructions about feeding the kitten and hadn’t returned until after Shiro and Coran had settled Red and all her babies into their new location. Hesitating when Shiro didn’t immediately answer, Keith added, “You know, if you want me to…”

 Ignoring Coran’s presence, Shiro stood from the side of Red’s new box and threw himself toward Keith, wrapping Keith into a hug which barely avoided crushing the tiny kitten sleeping on Keith’s chest. “Please… please stay.” Fighting alone was a concept that Shiro was used to and normally he would have turned away any offered help. The idea of refusing Keith’s offer seemed ludicrous though, and Shiro only mildly noted how happy he was that he didn’t feel the need to. Squeezing Keith a little tighter, Shiro leaned back to look at Keith’s face. “I don’t think I can do this without you.”

The honesty in Shiro’s words and the vulnerability Keith assumed was abnormal for him made Keith’s stomach involuntarily flip inside of his belly. “You could,” Keith reassured him, his smile shifting to something soft and loving, “but you don’t have to.” Shiro’s responding smile was so brilliant, Keith nearly forgot that Coran was there and barely caught himself from leaning in to kiss Shiro again.

“Well, it seems as if these babies and their mama will be in good hands.” Voice overly loud, Coran bounced on his toes as he collected his various tools, dropping him into his bag with loud thunks. “You know you can call me if you need me, but Keith is practically an expert in babies, so I don’t expect to hear from you.” Walking toward the top of Shiro’s staircase, Coran tilted his head at Shiro’s confused expression. “Will you walk me out, Shiro?”

Sparing only a few seconds to note the pink flushing over Keith’s cheeks, Shiro dropped his hands and moved toward Coran. Smiling, Shiro waved his hand toward the stairs, following Coran down the steep slope and through the darkened space of the café. Unlocking the door, Shiro paused and held his hand out. “Thank you for coming. Thank you for taking the time to tell me what to do. I’m going to save him.”

Bypassing Shiro’s hand, Coran went for a hug instead, chuckling at the startled noise that escaped Shiro. “You have a very special man up there, one who won’t give up on anyone, human or animal. Between the two of you, I don’t think Red or her kittens could be in better hands. Take care of them, and each other.” With a final squeeze, Coran released Shiro from his grasp and stepped quickly out onto the sidewalk.

Slightly confused, but intrigued, Shiro locked the front door before turning to stare in the direction of his stairs.

Deep in his heart, he knew there was so much more to Keith than Keith was letting on and Shiro felt himself dying to know the rest. The man had nearly demanded to be a part of Red’s delivery and when it had gone from exciting to scary, Keith had been the first to act, not hesitating to do exactly what he thought Red needed. Then Keith hadn’t flinched at the hours of sleep deprivation and precise feeding schedules that Coran had laid out for them, offering instead to stay with Shiro and share in the effort to save the kitten’s life.

People like Keith didn’t exist in this world, Shiro was sure of it. People who didn’t pry for information but made him want to share anyway. Someone Shiro wanted to share his space with, after spending so much time cultivating his isolation. Maybe it was the rollercoaster of emotions from the day that had him feeling sappy, however, Shiro was almost positive it wasn’t. Somehow, a mix of fate and a particular brand of Holt meddling, Keith had appeared in Shiro’s life and he had no intention of letting him slip out of it.

Moving quickly, Shiro took the stairs in twos, arriving at the top in time to see Keith administering the baby’s first meal through the tiny syringe, a soft song slipping from between Keith’s lips.

And though he had no way to know it, Shiro felt positive that everything was going to be alright.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pluto, puns, and promises ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this fic!!!! My next Sheith fic to complete is [I found you](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614625/chapters/41527277) which is a band AU where Shiro is a bar owner ;) 
> 
> If you would like to check out my completed works, please find the list at the end of this chapter!! 
> 
> For everyone who took a chance on this fic - thank you so so so much for your kudos and comments!! They make my soft writer heart so happy!

Quiet sounds of breathing filled the space inside of Shiro’s home, a place that was usually inhabited solely by himself and the occasionally curious visiting feline. He was used to silence which was only sometimes interrupted by prowling kitty claws and thuds from whatever said kitty decided to knock off his bookshelf. Sounds of comfort and home, which Shiro had accepted as the soundtrack of his life. But those sounds couldn’t hold a candle to the soft snores and slight rustling coming from the man currently stretched out by his feet. 

Moonlight poured through the angled window in Shiro’s roof, illuminating the softness of Keith’s sleeping face and cutting a path across the darkness of Keith’s hair. Happy in his own drowsiness, Shiro traced the shadows with his eyes, appreciating the beautiful relaxation painted across Keith’s features.

One of Keith’s arms was wrapped around the back of Red’s box, his free hand laying splayed inside of it with Red’s face tucked with her nose between his fingers. The position looked uncomfortable, yet Shiro smiled knowing it was exactly where Keith had chosen to be. Shifting himself, Shiro lightly grazed Keith’s cheek with his knuckles, his mind wandering back over their night together as Keith sighed in his sleep.

After Coran had left, they had sat down to write out a feeding schedule and divide the responsibility between them. Keith had insisted on taking more than his share, stating that no one expected him to work the next day and Shiro still had a business to run. The fight had been knocked clean out of him when Keith had grabbed his face and kissed him silent, sitting back with a triumphant smirk that was just as effective at sapping Shiro’s ability to argue. They hadn’t shared many kisses before that moment, but Shiro had become addicted to them all the same and had purposely attempted his argument again to draw out Keith’s need to keep his mouth busy.

Dinner was eaten far later than Shiro ever ate, sitting cross-legged near Red’s box, while they watched Red carefully nuzzle the neck of her smallest baby. Her affection level for her tiniest remained stunted, but Keith assured him that it would get better. Willing to accept Keith’s word on the matter, Shiro had settled into his meal with a sense of reassurance that he was determined to cling to. The rest of their pasta meal had been consumed in comfortable silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts and content to sit with their knees brushing as they ate.

Around midnight, Keith had shoved Shiro onto the couch and covered him with a blanket, insisting that Shiro sleep. Thirty minutes of failed trying later, Shiro grinned at Keith’s look of disapproval as he hauled all of the couch cushions and a good portion of his bedding into a mound next to Red’s box. Shiro had finally fallen asleep to the feeling of Keith’s fingers trailing in his hair and the comfort of Keith whispering encouragement to the kitten they were so desperately trying to save.

Keith’s turn to sleep came around three am and although he had fully resisted the idea, it had taken only the mere cuddling of Red against his hand to lull Keith to his current state of rest. With a mildly restored mind, Shiro sat quietly in his darkened apartment and continued to take advantage of the freedom he had to admire Keith’s beauty without a need to hide his adoration. They hadn’t specifically acknowledged whatever was budding between them and Shiro found his mind wandering to the possibilities of sunrise confessions over stemming mugs of Hunk’s famous coffee.

A small squeak alerted Shiro to the wakefulness of the kitten previously snoozing in the warm cradle of his hand against his chest. Softly, Shiro whispered to the baby, marveling not for the first time over how easily the kitten fit inside of his palm. His smallest baby was so teeny, making Shiro’s instinct to protect burn brightly in his heart. Reaching for the line of syringes Keith had prefilled for them, Shiro carefully adjusted his baby to make his meal more accessible.

Unlike the first few hours of the kitten’s life, he was now actively seeking the end of the syringe, his tiny mouth closing over the edge and his breath snorting through his nose as he sucked. “That’s it, Pluto, take your time…” Stroking his thumb over the soft fur between Pluto’s ears, he smiled as the kitten continued to drink. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a soft weight pressed against his side, black hair tumbling over his shoulder as Keith cuddled closer.

“You named him Pluto,” Keith’s voice was rough and his limbs felt heavy with the exhaustion he was willingly carrying. His inhibitions were lower when half-awake and he used that as an excuse to press himself tighter on Shiro’s side, wrapping his arm around Shiro’s waist to secure his hold.

“After the little planet that could,” Shiro joked. He watched Pluto take the last pull of formula, a small amount dripping out of the corner of his mouth as he curled up, milk drunk and ready for another nap.

Feeling cozy with the closeness of two adorably sleepy beings, Shiro scooted around until he could lay back on the couch cushions sprawled over the floor, careful not to crush Keith in the process. The pillows from Shiro’s bed and his comforter were kicked to the side so Shiro laid Pluto on the center of his chest while he rearranged his fluffiest pillow under his head and a blanket over their legs. Easing his arm underneath Keith, Shiro couldn’t help the zing of pleasure when Keith buried his face into Shiro’s shoulder with a soft snore. It was adorable how easily Keith fell asleep and Shiro logged it as another item on his ever-growing lists of things he loved.

Staring at the stars through the glass of his skylight, Shiro let their night together continue to flash through his mind. If he kept re-watching the movie reel of memories, Shiro hoped that his heart would understand that it was real. Every second of the day had really happened, and for the first time in his life, Shiro felt like he had really earned the title of “lucky.”

If he had thought that their hours together in the afternoon had been easy, they were truly nothing compared to the ease at which they worked as a team throughout the night. Even with the worry hanging over them like an impending storm cloud, they had found ways to make each other laugh, falling into a natural rhythm of both teasing and encouraging each other through their shared mission. The hours had passed with them trading off for feedings and trying to convince Red to eat, both of them seamlessly switching roles and supporting the other in both efforts.

Squeezing Keith lightly, Shiro smiled at the hand Keith curled into the material of Shiro’s shirt. The first time Shiro had offered Pluto a syringe, his hand had been shaking so badly that Keith had covered it with his own, draping an arm around Shiro’s shoulders and whispering “you can do it” in Shiro’s ear. Whether it was the distraction of Keith’s closeness or Shiro’s determination to prove Keith right, Shiro had found a way to calm his nerves and feed Pluto. If Keith had seen the tears brimming Shiro’s eyes, he hadn’t mentioned it, and Shiro courteously hadn’t mentioned the ones shimmering in Keith’s either.

A small sigh huffed in Red’s box as she changed position, curling her body around her sleeping kittens. Smiling at his scrappiest cat, Shiro remembered her earlier stubbornness.

They had both failed spectacularly at convincing her to eat, laughing in solidarity when even Black’s delivery of a shared treat couldn’t get her to do so. In the end Keith finally bribed her to consume food, by offering chicken directly from his own dinner. Knowing Hunk would be happy to have been a part of this process in another way, Shiro let it slide without saying anything about his cats not eating people food and promptly snuck Black some meat from his own dish.

“He’s warmer.” Keith shifted against Shiro’s side, bringing himself flusher to Shiro’s warm body, his hand coming up to gently pet Pluto and snorting when Shiro startled. Under different circumstances, Keith could imagine them cuddled in the comfort of Shiro’s bed, perhaps with far less clothing and one less kitten. As it was, Keith was happy to be right where he was, sporting a pair of Shiro’s borrowed sweatpants and his hand lazily stroking the softness of the tiny sleeping kitten.

Humming in response, Shiro was appreciative of the darkness hiding the deep blush over his cheeks. He loved the way Keith felt draped over him, his heart beating faster while his head swam. Sleep was chasing Shiro’s mind, a product of too many hours awake and the beautiful amount of comfort being graciously gifted to him by Keith’s weight.  

Without thinking, Shiro tilted his head and pressed his lips to the top of Keith’s forehead. “Thanks for being with me,” he whispered, eyes fluttering open and closed in his valiant effort to stay awake. As his consciousness slipped, he could’ve sworn he heard Keith promise to always be there and Shiro hummed his acceptance of the offer as he finally tumbled into dreamland.

By the light of the stars, Keith allowed himself to admire Shiro’s beauty, his hand never leaving the protective position over Pluto. Determined to keep himself awake, Keith let himself daydream of a future where Shiro never asked him to leave and this became his reality forever.

* * *

 

 “Shiro…” Nudging harder at Shiro’s shoulder, Keith couldn’t peel his eyes away from Pluto. “Shiro! Shiro! Come on, wake up, just for a minute!” Staring down at Shiro’s insistently knocked out form, Keith narrowed his eyes and bent over his partner in kitten delivery, determined to wake him up one way or another.

In his dream, Keith was panting his name into the bare skin of his neck, both of them rocking together to chase their fall off of a climatic cliff. Warmth spread over his lips, merging dream with reality as Shiro curled a hand around the back of Keith’s neck and pushed the kiss to a level that matched only his dreamscape.

Melting into the sudden passion Shiro was offering, Keith nearly forgot why he had been so insistent on Shiro waking up in the first place. Their previous kisses had been hesitant in their newness, or playful in their teasing, but this kiss was full of heat in a way that set Keith’s entire body ablaze. Leaning further over Shiro, Keith let himself be kissed dizzy, only pulling back when Shiro did so abruptly.

“Keith!” Wide-eyed, Shiro was instantly awake, mind processing a tick behind that he had been kissing real Keith and not just dream Keith.

Tilting his head, Keith gave Shiro a curious look. “Who else would it be?” Propping his arm on Shiro’s chest, Keith tapped his index finger on the angle of Shiro’s jaw. “Got a boyfriend or something I should know about?” His stomach felt sick even knowing he was joking, hearing the potential accusation and jealously tinging the teasing.

“No… not… No!” Sitting up, Shiro knocked Keith onto his lap, realizing too late that Keith could feel his body’s exact response to the dream he was having. Groaning, Shiro slapped a hand to his face. “I was dreaming… about you… it was…” Waving a hand uselessly, Shiro saw Keith’s eyes go from wide to intrigued in the matter of a second. Unwilling to test the waters further, Shiro mumbled, “was there… um… were you trying to wake me up?”

In any other circumstance, Keith would have continued to prod at Shiro for the details of the dream that left Shiro with the ability to poke Keith in the back without the use of his fingers. But, there had been a reason Keith wanted Shiro awake and Shiro’s question had immediately reminded him of that fact.

Scrambling into a sitting position, Keith nodded toward Red’s box. Inside, the other kittens were all sleeping in a pile of tiny fluffs. Pluto, however, was nuzzled against his mother’s belly, happily nursing as Red peered down at him.

“Oh my god… he’s doing it…” With a hand over his mouth, Shiro grabbed Keith’s knee with the other. “Keith, Keith, that’s a good sign, right? That he’s nursing? That means he is going to be okay?” He didn’t care that he was probably leaping to conclusions and right over any other possible complications, Shiro could feel the hope exploding inside of him.

Smiling at the relief and excitement written all over Shiro’s face, Keith couldn’t help the smile breaking out on his own. Sure, nursing didn’t mean Pluto was completely out of the woods yet, nor did it mean that he was guaranteed to continue to make progress, but it was a strong sign that he had a fighting chance. Knowing that Shiro didn’t want to hear all of that in the moment, Keith pressed his lips in a quick kiss to Shiro’s cheek and whispered, “Yeah, he is going to be okay. Congratulations Cat Dad.”

An embarrassingly high-pitched yelp escaped from Keith when Shiro tackled him back onto the pillows. “We did it. You and me. Don’t pretend you aren’t a cat dad now, because these babies are as much yours as they are mine.” Grabbing Keith’s chin, Shiro kissed him before he could argue. Hearing the muffled sounds of Keith’s potential attempts to do so, Shiro shifted to press himself more firmly over Keith and kissed him until he shut up.

Getting lost in Shiro was surely going to be the simplest fall Keith had ever experienced. This man was the gentlest of giants, and witty, gorgeous, along with unbelievably intelligent. And he kissed as if he was meant to do so, as if he was designed to rob Keith of all thoughts with the skill of his tongue and the fire burning in his fingertips. Keith should have let himself go, let himself wrap his arms around Shiro’s shoulders and let the kiss lead wherever it wanted to go. Yet, Keith couldn’t stop the logical, self-destructive part of his brain from speaking up.

Pulling away from Shiro’s lips, Keith braced his hands on Shiro’s cheeks to keep him at a distance. He saw the briefest moment of hurt and confusion flicker through Shiro’s eyes, causing guilt to build inside of Keith for the questions and disclaimers screaming in his mind. He had to say it though, he needed to give Shiro an out because he wouldn’t forgive himself if he didn’t at least address his thoughts. “You know… birthing kittens is an emotional experience… its ok if…”

 “Stop.” Shiro heard the command in his tone and noted the surprise shocking Keith’s eyebrows into his hairline. “Don’t… I don’t know… whatever you’re about to say… if it has anything to do with this… not being real… or being… I don’t know… a product of emotional high, just don’t say it. I know you’re not dumb and although I… have had my dumber moments… I’m not dumb enough to pretend this isn’t something.” Using both hands, Shiro stroked the hair from Keith’s forehead. “I just said the word dumb… a lot.” He smiled when Keith chuckled.

There would be a time in Keith’s life when he would look back at this moment and know that it was the moment that changed everything.

The rays of the early morning sun poured over Shiro’s back giving him an ethereal look as he smiled hesitantly down at Keith. He was beautiful, inside and out. He had welcomed Keith into his home, never demanding an explanation for Keith’s presence or forcing Keith to explain why he cared. Shiro had accepted all of it, had pulled Keith closer, and now he was willingly fighting the demons Keith hadn’t even put into words. “You’re amazing,” Keith sighed, realizing only after the words were out that his thought had been spoken out loud. His embarrassment evaporated at the sight of Shiro’s broadening smile.

“So are you.” Leaning down, Shiro kissed him again, keeping it lighter than their last two kisses. “And I don’t want you to leave. I know you love Red, and she loves you. I don’t want that to stop. Plus… I…” Closing his eyes, Shiro told himself to be brave. He wasn’t ready to call this love, but he could tell Keith how much he wanted the chance to see if it could be. “Keith, I…”

“Good morning!”

The shout from the hollows of the staircase made Shiro and Keith jump, their foreheads banging together as they groaned in response to the throbbing pain. With one eye opened, Shiro glared at Hunk who was blissfully unaware of what he was interrupting.

“I brought coffee and frittata. Thought you two could use the protein this morning.” Finally breaching the top of the staircase, Shiro snorted when Hunk’s jaw dropped. Despite their shared head injury, Shiro was still spread over Keith on top of their makeshift bed. “Well… I…” Hunk stumbled across the apartment, placing the tray he carried on the kitchen counter. “I’ll tell Pidge and Allura they need to wait to see the kittens. There are kittens, right?”

Tilting his head to look at Hunk upside down, Keith smiled. “There are kittens. Shiro is naming them all after planets.” Even though he should feel awkward about their current position, Keith couldn’t resist sharing this adorable tidbit of information. Pluto, the little kitty that could, was forever going to be Keith’s favorite.

“Sounds very Shiro,” Hunk laughed, leaning a hip against the counter. “Slightly more creative than the color-coded names based on colors of collars.”

Returning his gaze to Shiro’s reddening cheeks, Keith shook his head. “Really? You named them by the colors of their collars? What did you do… buy a set of rainbow collars and…” A hand clapped over his mouth stopping Keith from continuing his questions and setting Hunk off in a burst of loud laughter.

“You two aren’t allowed to be friends,” Shiro growled, his twitching smile betraying him. “Thanks for breakfast, Hunk. Maybe give us a half hour and then come up to meet the new babies?” Underneath him, Keith rolled his hips subtly against Shiro’s thigh, making Shiro choke. “Maybe… an hour?” he stuttered, refusing to look at Keith when he felt a puff of laughter breeze over his palm.

“We’ll make it two… you know… just in case.” Hunk winked, causing Shiro to blush again. “Keith, Sam talked to your mom and she is coming to take the truck. I’m supposed to tell you something about it’s your fault she is riding your bike.”

“Bike?” Shiro asked, lifting his hand to let Keith speak.

“Motorcycle,” Keith corrected, gritting his teeth at the idea of anyone else riding it, but understanding that she was doing him a favor. She was also simultaneously taking the opportunity to steal his bike when he couldn’t fight with her about it. Admittedly, it also gave Keith an excuse not to explain his impromptu sleepover above the cat café for a little longer, so he decided he wouldn’t play into her ploy of trying to rile him up. “Grab the keys from her if you see her… please.” Keith made the request without looking at Hunk, concentrating instead on running his fingers over Shiro’s cheeks and smiling when Shiro’s attention focused on him.

Footsteps stomped loudly over the floor though neither of them was looking to see Hunk move away from them. “Will do!” he called, his shoes clambering on the stairs as he ran.

Alone in the comfort of the pile of pillows and blankets, Shiro and Keith smiled at each other, all of their unspoken thoughts swimming between them. Tiny squeaks floated from Red’s box and they turned to watch her nuzzle into each of her new babies, taking extra time to lavish tiny Pluto with cleaning licks.

“I think he’s going to be okay,” Shiro whispered, reaching a hand out to pet Red gently before trailing light fingers over each of the babies. Originally he had planned to let them be adopted once they were old enough, but the idea was already fading like an unwanted memory. These babies were part of his family and he planned to keep them as such forever. “Speaking of keeping…” Shiro said out loud.

“You weren’t, but okay…” Keith teased, hand moving to join Shiro in petting the kittens. Red licked at Keith’s fingers when they were close enough to her face and then head-butted his hand in a request for pets.

“Well…” Shiro blushed realizing Keith was right. “I think Red, and her babies would agree, that we can’t just let you walk out now. You’re invested, you know.”

Grinning at the use of Keith’s own words against him, Keith nudged Shiro with his elbow. “Invested. For sure. And who says I want to walk out? Maybe…” squinting at Red in a request for courage, Keith bit his lip. “Maybe… I was just waiting for you to ask me to stay.”

Abandoning his quest of petting all his babies at once, Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith and waited until Keith finally looked at him. “I want you to stay. I want you to be a cat dad too. With me. And… um… I want to talk to you… about working at the café too… group therapy I was thinking… unless you are… you know really, really tied to your job with Mamora which I can totally understand if you ar-”

Kissing Shiro to shut him up was going to be Keith’s favorite tactic for the rest of his life. Angling his head to take the kiss deeper, Keith kept it going until he was positive Shiro was finished babbling. Resting his head back on the pillow, Keith sighed as he played with the hair flopping over Shiro’s forehead. “Mamora will survive without me. I want to see what I can offer here. What I can offer… to you.” Heat spread through Keith’s body as his words echoed in his mind. “We make a good team, right?”

Feeling ready to squeal with joy, Shiro squeezed Keith tighter. “Yeah, we do.” He could barely sneak the words around the excited constricting of his throat. “First mission, name all the babies.” Tangling his fingers in the hair at the back of Keith’s neck, he barely restrained a groan when Keith wiggled underneath him.

“How about we make that our second mission?” Trailing one hand down Shiro’s back, Keith pressed his palm into the curve at the base of Shiro’s spine. He laughed when Shiro twitched against him, tilting his chin when Shiro nipped at his bottom lip.

They let words become unneeded as they fell together, the world once again quieting until it was only the two of them, wrapped into all the possibilities of their future.

* * *

 

 

**TWO YEARS LATER**

Keith waved his last goodbye as he slowly pulled the glass door closed, flipping the lock and turning around to lean against the glass. He felt tired, but in a satisfying way that he only felt after a really successful group session. Pushing up from his lounging spot, Keith moved slowly across the room, replacing chairs to their normal locations and gathering the lingering dishes which were scattered on the nearest table.

At this hour, the café was peaceful, an atmosphere built from tailored scents, whispers of instrumental music, and the thermostat creating a perfectly cozy temperature. Despite the cold which had settled outside of the café walls, it was toasty and comfortable inside.

Savoring the feeling of a full day, Keith made his way to the kitchen, taking his time in rinsing plates and mugs, setting them into the dishwasher and powering it on the way Hunk had taught him to do. The kitchen wasn’t just Hunk’s anymore, and Keith smiled with pride at the tray of mac and cheese warming in the oven. It wasn’t the only thing he knew how to make, but it was Shiro’s favorite and Keith had been in a sentimental mood when he had put it together between his earlier sessions.

Flicking the oven off, Keith carefully transferred the full pan to their custom made “Cat Dads 4 Life” tray and hefted it into his arms. With how many noodles were contained in his dish, Keith was positive they would be eating mac and cheese for days. He also knew Shiro would love the idea, and it added a spring to his step as he turned off the lights and headed for their private staircase.

Darkness met Keith at the top of the stairs, leaving him confused as he fumbled his hand over the light switch. Shiro hadn’t said anything about going out, but Keith supposed he could have missed something in the confusion of his heavily scheduled day. Slapping at the light switch, Keith’s eyes went wide when he spied Shiro sitting in the middle of the bed, surrounded by all of their cats.

Nervously, Shiro wrung his hands together. “Hi,” he waved, far too casual given the words written on the banner he had draped over the bed. It had been nearly impossible to convince all of their cats to sit with him, and Shiro hoped Keith wouldn’t notice just how many of them were currently high on their bribes of cat nip. “So… um… we were wondering…” Reaching behind him, Shiro snagged Pluto, who was still the tiniest of all their babies. Dangling from a ribbon which Pluto was determinedly chewing on, was a ring Shiro had been clinging to for over a month.

“Holy… sh-” Keith could barely control the shaking in his hands, sliding his tray onto the wall around the stairs and taking a step towards Shiro. “Are you… this is…” Tripping on his own foot, Keith nearly toppled on the bed, catching himself with one hand which Red promptly nipped. “Shiro, are you…”

“Asking you to marry me?” Shiro grinned, slipping the ribbon free from Pluto’s grasp and laughing when Pluto swatted at him. “Yes, I am.” He burst out laughing when Keith launched himself forward all of the cats either scattering to safety or jumping on them to join in the pile.

With Mercury perched on his shoulder and Pluto climbing up his back, Keith grabbed Shiro by the face and kissed him. “Yes, of course, I… yes,” he said in between kisses, both of their smiles so wide that kissing was nearly impossible.

In the home where they had shared their first kiss, above the business that they had continued to develop together, and surrounded by the babies who they relentlessly spoiled, Shiro and Keith spent the rest of their night celebrating the next step in their adventure, eating mac and cheese over a banner that read:

“Will you meow-rry me?”

 

(Everyone made fun of Shiro for it. Keith loved it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Banner courtesy of one of my favorite humans. Thank you atelerixe for always coming in to save the day!!

**Author's Note:**

> My other Sheith works:  
> [A Wild Bearded Shiro Appears](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17054420) \- Shiro participates in No Shave November. RIP Keith (college roommates AU)  
> [Unwritten](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583593/chapters/36179688) a Sheith fic about Author Keith and Fanboy Shiro, filled with mutual pining and reuniting of childhood friends :) - complete  
> [A Week For Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17261003/chapters/40591424) \- married Sheith celebrate the five year anniversary of their engagement, with a little surprise in the form of a very tiny new family member  
> [Mine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16302947) \- a one-shot of married Sheith getting jealous at a party and solving it with sexy times  
> [Save Them All](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17358116) \- a Keith Social Worker AU (angst in this one)  
> [Where We Belong](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15730515) \- fluffy post Season 7 Domestic Sheith escaping for a weekend away to Keith's old shack  
> [Our Space](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16574111) \- Domestic Sheith one-shot in which Shiro decorates their room  
> [It Only Took a Hurricane](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227133) \- a completed Lifeguard AU (best friends to lovers)  
> [Come on Baby, Frost My Cake](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16829314) \- a Sheith set up fic at Hunk's Singles Cake Decorating class (shenanigans ensure)  
> [No Secrets Between Us](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13860900) \- silly crack fic about the team finding out that Sheith are dating


End file.
